(Mis)managing My Stress in the New Fall Season

MisManaging My Stress in the New Fall Season

Although you’d barely notice by going outside, the seasons have officially changed. September 21st was the first day of fall, and it was also about 85°F here. The change was subtle. For me, a seasonal allergy sufferer, I slowly began waking up with a stuffy nose and sneezing fits. Though the sun stayed strong, the humidity in the city dropped. I even started getting sick of my summer clothes. The shift was occurring even while it looked like everything was staying the same.

Lately, my life has been reflecting the same sort of gradual change. It feels a bit like every month I’m looking around and asking, “Wait, when did that happen? When did I do that?” The change hasn’t been all bad–in fact, a lot of it has been good–but I think change always comes with a little stress. A period of readjustment, like when you finally have to switch out your seasonal wardrobe. The payoff is rewarding, but I drag my feet every time, dreading the process.

I’ve been gearing up for a fall closet update by making a wishlist based on my zodiac sign, but as much as I love seasonal shopping, there’s a part of me that still gets stressed by it. I’ve even taken more breaks on writing for my blog because of being stressed out by it. I often wonder, how can I learn to avoid stressing myself out when I even attach stress to my favorite activities? How can I be better at handling unpleasant stress, like a heavy workload at my job, when I’m mishandling the good kind?

Obviously, there’s a different answer for everyone. My boyfriend meditates and my mom listens to motivational speakers. I’ve tried a few different approaches, but I’m always waiting for the one that clicks. The closest I get is when I dance–a good beat that inspires my body to move can take my mind off mystress for the few minutes the song lasts. It doesn’t erase the stress completely, but it helps me forget for a little. That’s the best I’ve come up with so far!

Other days, like today, I just buy a pint of Ben and Jerry’s and go nuts.